For the first time in more than 20 years, the familiar FDA-required nutrition facts are getting
a major overhaul. Here’s what you need to know—and why it matters.

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Illustration By Mikey Burton

The new labels
began appearing
on some products
last summer. Look
out for them!

Serving Sizes Get Real

Raise your hand if you’ve ever
polished off a 16-ounce bottle of pop
before noticing it was actually two
servings, according to the label.
Now the serving size for many items,
including that soda, will be much
more in line with what people
actually eat. (Not because the FDA
wants you to eat more—they’re
simply trying to reflect reality.)
Look for changes on, among others,
cereal, bagels and (sob) ice cream.

Calorie Counts are Bigger
and Bolder

The first thing
most people check is about to get
easier to find. This number is really
important in balancing your diet,
so it’s getting top billing.

Added Sugars Make Their
Debut

Not all sugars are created
equal. Some products have naturally
occurring sugar (like lactose in
yogurt), worthwhile for the food’s
benefits. Others have it dumped
in during processing (corn syrup,
cane sugar, etc.). Now you can
especially look out for bucket loads
of the added stuff.

Take It or Leave It,
Vitamins A and C

Most
Americans get enough of these
two, so companies don’t have to list
them anymore. (Though they still
can if they want to.) However, most
people need more vitamin D (for
healthy bones) and potassium (for
regulating blood pressure), so they’ll
be mandatory on the new label.

Source: Kris Sollid, Rd and Senior Director of Nutrition Communications For The International Food Information Council